February 12, 2004

World Car of the Year Awards program launched

Toronto, Ontario - The World Car of the Year Awards (WCOTY) program was officially launched at the opening of the 2004 Canadian International Auto Show. The awards program, which will recognize and reward automotive achievements and excellence on a global scale, will be administered by a non-profit corporation with a Steering Committee of international automotive journalists.

Steering Committee members Akira Fujimoto (Editor-in-Chief, Car Styling magazine, Japan), Graham Johnson, (Editor-in-Chief, UK & International Press Automotive Magazines Division, England), and Gerry Malloy (contributor, Toronto Star newspaper and MSN Autos Canada) together launched the awards at a press conference on Wednesday.

They will be joined by fellow Steering Committee members: Dan Carney (contributor, Motor Trend, European Car, Sports Car International - USA); Matt Davis (Europe based correspondent for AutoWeek in the US, Auto Express and Octane in the UK, Gente Motori in Italy and Genroq in Japan); Peter Robinson (European correspondent, Autocar (UK)/Wheels/Car & Driver - Italy), and TV producer and host C. Van Tune, (NBC, ESPN, MSNBC, - USA).

The first task for the Steering Committee will be to establish the processes and procedures for defining and voting on the candidates for the awards. This will take place during March and April 2004.

The inaugural "World Car of the Year" will be announced in February 2005. The Canadian International Auto Show (CIAS), in Toronto has been chosen as the host site of the first awards ceremony. That venue was selected for several reasons, including the neutrality of Canada as a car-producing nation. There is, however, no direct involvement by the CIAS in the program itself.

Graham Johnson stated, "We do not intend for WCOTY to be, nor do we perceive the awards as being, in competition with ANY existing national, regional, or magazine-sponsored awards."

Malloy added, "We hope that WCOTY will complement existing award programs in two ways: by broadening the scope beyond their respective continental or national boundaries; and by heightening consumer awareness of COTY awards in general."

The awards program will be adjudicated by an international panel comprising approximately 55 jurors; all automotive journalists of significant stature within their own regions, from all of the world's major automotive markets. They represent Japan, England, Italy, China, Thailand, France, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Norway, India, Australia, New Zealand, as well as the USA and Canada.

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